~ Together with Local Residents, Painting Lights of Hope in the Night Sky to Share the Spirit of Recovery Nationwide ~
Red Cliff Inc. (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Komei Sasaki; hereinafter “Red Cliff”), a company specializing in the planning and production of drone shows, will stage the “Wakura Onsen Recovery Drone Show” in Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Saturday, October 11, 2025.
This event will be held on the same day as the Noto Yosakoi Festival, the largest yosakoi festival in Ishikawa, as a community-led project to commemorate recovery from the Noto Peninsula Earthquake.
A Night Sky Stage Symbolizing Recovery from the Noto Peninsula Earthquake
The Noto Peninsula Earthquake of January 1, 2024 brought severe damage to Wakura Onsen. With a 1,200-year history, this renowned hot spring town still has many facilities without prospects for reopening, and the entire community continues to face challenges.
In response, local residents formulated the “Wakura Onsen Creative Recovery Plan” under the concept “Noto’s Satoyama and Satoumi as the Power to Revitalize – Wakura Onsen”, paving the way toward rebuilding the hot spring town.
As part of this initiative, 500 drones will take off from Yunotani—the site of the original hot spring source and designated as the “symbol of recovery” within the plan—and create a spectacle overlooking the entire hot spring town. Red Cliff will give shape to the strong desire of local residents to “light the flame of recovery” through this special drone show.
Fusion of Local Culture and Hopes for Recovery
The show will depict colorful light motifs themed on iconic local festivals such as the Noto Yosakoi Festival, the Seihakusai Festival, and the Ishizaki Hōtō Festival. It will present the vision of “bringing light back to the town” through the unique artistic direction of producer Shin-ichi Kudo. This one-of-a-kind performance will merge traditional culture with cutting-edge technology.
Comment from Producer Shin-ichi Kudo
“I directed this performance with heartfelt wishes for recovery. It is my hope that this drone show—featuring the vibrant Noto Yosakoi Festival, the historic Seihakusai, and the Ishizaki Hōtō Festival—will shine as a beacon of hope.”
Profile – Shin-ichi Kudo
Kudo has worked extensively in commercials, music videos, dramas, stage productions, and concerts. After studying art direction in London, he directed the film “Jonetsu no Bara” (starring Masatoshi Nagase and Kiko Mizuhara) in 2017, which was invited to film festivals in 12 cities worldwide. He has produced and directed more than 500 works, earning numerous awards including the New York Festivals and the MTV Video Music Award.
His AI recreation project of Yumi Arai for Yumi Matsutoya’s 50th anniversary became a major topic and won the VFX-JAPAN Award for Excellence. He also produced the VR horror film “Let’s Go to Your House” (directed by Takashi Shimizu / Yoshihiro Nishimura), which became the first Japanese work to secure a permanent screening in Las Vegas. With his distinctive sensibility and meticulous aesthetics, Kudo continues to create works that move audiences around the world.
Event Overview
Event Title: Noto Yosakoi Festival × Noto Recovery Drone Show 2025
Date & Time: Saturday, October 11, 2025, from around 20:00 (approx. 15 minutes, scheduled)
Venue: Around Wakura Onsen Omatsuri Hall (Wakura-machi, Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture)
Official Website: https://yosakoi.wakura.or.jp/
Organizers: Noto Yosakoi Festival Executive Committee / Drone Show Executive Committee
Co-organizer: Red Cliff Inc.
Number of Drones: 500 units (RiFF-JP)
Please note: The event may be canceled if weather conditions such as wind speed and direction pose safety concerns. For the latest updates regarding the event status, please check the official website of the Noto Yosakoi Festival (https://yosakoi.wakura.or.jp/) and the official Instagram account (https://www.instagram.com/notoyosa2024/?igsh=eXdsZmJvMDc4b3Jl#).
